could not stir Hand nor Foot, but as he was
mov'd; and was placed with his Face Eastward against the Sun. In the
Afternoon they turned his Face toward the West, that the Sun might
still be in his Face; and thus he stood all Day, parcht in the Sun
(which shines here excessively hot) and tormented with the Moskitos
or Gnats: After this the General would have kill'd him, if Captain
Swan had consented to it. I did never see any put to Death; but I
believe they are barbarous enough in it: The General told us himself
that he put two Men to Death in a Town where some of us were with him;
but I heard not the manner of it. Their common way of punishing is to
strip them in this manner, and place them in the Sun; but sometimes
they lay them flat on their Backs on the Sand, which is very hot;
where they remain a whole Day in the scorching Sun, with the Moskito's
biting them all the time.
This action of the General in offering Captain Swan the punishment of
the Thief, caus'd Captain Swan afterwards to make him the same offer
of his Men, when any had offended the Mindanao Men: but the General
left such Offenders to be punished by Captain Swan, as he thought
convenient. So that for the least Offence Captain Swan punished his
Men, and that in the sight of the Mindanaians; and I think sometimes
only for revenge; as he did once punish his Chief Mate Mr. Teat,
he that came Captain of the Bark to Mindanao. Indeed at that time
Captain Swan had his Men as much under command as if he had been in
a King's Ship; and had he known how to use his Authority, he might
have led them to any Settlement, and have brought them to assist him
in any design he had pleased.
Captain Swan being dismist from the Sultan, with abundance of
civility, after about two Hours Discourse with him, went thence to Raja
Laut's House. Raja Laut had then some difference with the Sultan, and
therefore he was not present at the Sultan's reception of our Captain,
but waited his return, and treated him and all his Men with boiled Rice
and Fowls. He then told Captain Swan again, and urged it to him, that
it would be best to get his Ship into the River as soon as he could,
because of the usual tempestuous Weather at this time of the Year;
and that he should want no assistance to further him in any thing. He
told him also, that as we must of necessity stay here some time, so
our Men would often come ashore; and he therefore desired him to warn
his Men to be careful to give no a
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